La Porte, Ind. – La Porte Hospital and community officials turned over the first shovels of dirt where the new La Porte Hospital will be built over the next two years, during a community celebration with about 300 people in attendance. The momentous occasion marks the beginning of the first hospital to be built in La Porte since the current facility opened in 1972.
Guided by the theme Look Forward, hospital, city and community officials spoke about building on a legacy of healthcare in La Porte, and pledged to remain focused on building a healthy future for the community.
“Today’s celebration is an opportunity to look forward, but also inspires us to take a look from where we came. There is a rich history of healthcare in the La Porte community dating back to the 1800s when local physicians started the state’s first medical college here,” said Ashley Dickinson, CEO of La Porte Hospital. “Today, we are reminded that our plans for the future are every bit as powerful as the healthcare legacy that precedes us, and we break ground with gratitude, determination, and pride.”
La Porte Hospital will invest about $125 million to build the new 200,000-square foot hospital. The investment is part of a $140 million commitment made possible through La Porte Hospital’s affiliation with Community Health Systems in March 2016. The new facility, which is expected to open in 2020, will offer the same complement of services as the current hospital, and have space to accommodate future growth.
Mark Kosior, president of the La Porte Hospital Board of Trustees, described how La Porte Hospital is focused on increasing access to healthcare in the community.
“In the last 18 months, the hospital has recruited more than 20 healthcare providers; opened new urgent care, primary care, and pediatrics practices in Michigan City; opened a new wound care center in La Porte; and is getting ready to open the Slicer Health Clinic for students in the La Porte Community School Corporation,” Kosior said. “As a board member and physician, I can assure you we aren’t slowing down.”
The community can expect to see further changes to the campus as the hospital prepares to begin construction. For updated information on the project, visit NewLaPorteHospital.com.
Honorary Ground Breakers for Shovel Ceremony:
Sonali Shukla, MD – La Porte Hospital Board of Trustees
Bert Cook – Greater La Porte Economic Development Corporation
Craig Menne – La Porte Hospital Board of Trustees
Stephen Turner – La Porte Hospital Board of Trustees
Ed Gondeck – La Porte Hospital Auxiliary
Tommy Mislenkov, MD, President – La Porte Hospital Medical Staff
Mark Kosior – President, La Porte Hospital Board of Trustees
Ashley Dickinson, CEO – La Porte & Starke Hospitals
James Leonard, DO – Market Chief Medical Officer
Anetra Jones,CNO – La Porte Hospital
Mark Krentz – Mayor, City of La Porte
Jeff Vice, COO -La Porte Hospital
Julius Ellis, MD – La Porte Hospital Board of Trustees
Gary Wheeland, MD – La Porte Hospital Board of Trustees
Vinay Tumuluri, MD – La Porte Hospital Board of Trustees
Drew Keesbury, CFO – La Porte Hospital
The full content of this article is only available to paid subscribers. If you are an active subscriber, please log in. To subscribe, please click here: SUBSCRIBE
